Hands Down
by Nausikaa
Summary: Poor James. He never even saw her coming.


_Disclaimer - Alas, Harry is not mine. _

_A/N - Not sure what I think about this one. I like the ending, that's about it. Title and last line are based off the song _Hands Down_ by_ Dashboard Confessional_, since that's what I was lisenting to when I wrote it._

_As my rhyming capabilities leave something to be desired, I've left out the sorting hat's song._

**Hands Down**

The first time he saw her, James Potter knew he was in trouble. Never mind the fact that girls had cooties. This wasn't a girl. This was an angel.

He watched her face light up in awed disbelief as she gazed upon the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. The stars reflected in the endless pools of green that were her eyes.

_Interesting._ He had always pictured angels with blue eyes.

"Hey mate, you okay?" The voice of Sirius Black, a boy with a rather mischievous smirk he had met on the train, interrupted his silent contemplation of the heavenly beauty to his left.

James quickly closed his gaping mouth and looked to his right, trying to find the suit of armor there utterly fascinating.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Since when had his voice become so squeaky?

Sirius looked skeptical, but just then the stern-looking professor who had welcomed them into the castle returned. What was her name? McKlouskey? McDonald? Mickey Mouse? _Ahh, yes._ McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall led the trembling first years up to a battered looking hat perched on a three-legged stool. Everyone in the hall was staring at it. James idly wondered why; it wasn't particularly interesting. One would think the most famous school of magic in Britain could afford some nicer decorations. He turned to watch the angel instead.

Suddenly, the hat burst into song, and the incoming first years were treated to a description of the qualities each of the four houses possessed. James didn't listen. He knew he was a Gryffindor.

Miss Greenest-Eyes-Ever, on the other hand, was raptly paying attention. As the hat's rhyme came to a close, first years in varying states of nervousness stepped up to try it on. _All they had to do was try on a hat?_ And here, some ruddy blonde third year had been going on about battling an acromantula. James should have known. The boy was a Slytherin, after all.

"Evans, Lily!" rang the voice of Headmistress McGonagall.

And as it turned out, Evans, Lily was the very person with whom James had been so enthralled. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that she had the most beautiful name in the world. Lilies had just become James' new favorite flower.

Their delicate white petals were the exact same shade as her creamy skin. _What a perfect name._

James watched with bated breath as she sat with the Sorting Hat on her head. It was ridiculously large – Lily's nose was the only obstacle on its way to her shoulders. James realized he had never seen a more beautiful hat.

And then, when the hat called out "Gryffindor!" James let out a loud whoop and jumped several feet in the air. This action earned him more than a few strange looks from the surrounding students and a slightly frightened one from Lily, but he was blissfully oblivious to them. Now that they were in the same house, they would date, and fall in love, and get married, and live in a blue house with a white picket fence and have five mini-Potters named…

The rest of the evening passed in a blur for James.

After the feast which he had barely tasted, James and Sirius followed a prefect up to their new common room. The beauty of the castle and the magic that permeated the very air was not lost on James. It pulled him out of his reverie, and it was his turn to gaze around in wonder. Consequently, he was not paying attention when he bumped into the shoulder of a small girl.

"Sorry," James replied automatically.

But as he turned, he took in the blazing red hair, the emerald green eyes, and the angry expression on Lily Evans's face.

"Watch where you're going!" she spat.

James watched her walk away in a huff.

Hands down, it was the best moment he could ever remember.

_Fin._

_Review! 5 gold stars to anyone who can guess the name of the 3rd year Slytherin mentioned!_


End file.
